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8: Delivering Your Speech

  • Page ID
    217871
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    • 8.0: Why It Matters- Delivering Your Speech
      This page emphasizes that effective speech hinges on both content and delivery, highlighting the importance of audience engagement through the speaker's performance. Preparation and practice are crucial, similar to routines in acting and athletics. The role of stand-up comedians is noted for their rehearsed timing and delivery, which appears spontaneous. The chapter outlines methods for effective delivery, stressing the importance of voice, eye contact, and body language.
    • 8.1: Introduction to Vocal Aspects of Delivery
      This page emphasizes the importance of effective delivery in public speaking, highlighting vocal variety as key to audience engagement. It discusses the necessity of skills such as breath control, articulation, pitch, rate, emphasis, and volume in delivering well-organized content. The absence of vocal variety can create monotone presentations that disengage listeners. Mastering these elements enables speakers to connect with their audience and effectively convey their message.
    • 8.2: Breath
      This page discusses effective vocal delivery, emphasizing the importance of breath control and the three types of breathing: clavicular, thoracic, and diaphragmatic. Clavicular breathing is shallow and leads to a breathy voice, while thoracic breathing causes frequent shallow breaths. Diaphragmatic breathing is recommended for public speaking as it provides full sound support.
    • 8.3: Articulation, Pitch, and Rate
      This page outlines essential techniques for effective public speaking, emphasizing the importance of clear articulation, vocal variety in pitch, and an appropriate speaking rate. It highlights the roles of tongue, teeth, and lips in articulation and recommends a speaking pace slower than 150 words per minute, along with breathing techniques to manage speed. Practicing with recordings is advised to enhance delivery and engage the audience.
    • 8.4: Emphasis, Volume, and Pauses
      This page discusses techniques for effective speech delivery, focusing on vocal variety, volume, and strategic pauses. It highlights the use of emphasis to clarify important words and suggests that speakers practice to find their optimal volume and engage the audience. The text advises replacing filler words with pauses for professionalism and confidence, referencing Reggie Watts as an example of successful vocal delivery.
    • 8.5: Speech Challenges
      This page examines the distinctiveness of voices and public speaking challenges, highlighting the difference between speech disorders and vocal habits. It addresses criticisms of vocal habits, especially in women, and explores sexism in vocal criticism. Suggestions for enhancing vocal delivery include minimizing filler words through awareness and practicing silent pauses.
    • 8.6: Introduction to Nonverbal Aspects of Delivery
      This page emphasizes the significance of nonverbal communication in speeches, noting that body language conveys a speaker's emotions and engagement without words. It illustrates how nonverbal cues can enhance or undermine a speech and aims to explore how adept speakers utilize these cues to reinforce their messages.
    • 8.7: Personal Appearance
      This page highlights the significance of personal appearance in public speaking, stating that looking one’s best can enhance confidence and audience perception. It suggests that clothing choices should reflect personal style, audience expectations, and context, as attire can impact credibility and likability. Research shows that feeling well-dressed correlates with a sense of competence.
    • 8.8: Gestures and Movement
      This page emphasizes the significance of gestures and movement in public speaking, stating that natural gestures convey meaning and emotions effectively. It advises against repetitive movements that could fatigue the audience and encourages purposeful movement. It includes examples from public speaking experts on effective body language techniques. The overall message is that speakers should rehearse both their content and delivery style to enhance audience engagement.
    • 8.9: Facial Expressions and Eye Contact
      This page discusses the importance of facial expressions and eye contact in public speaking, highlighting how a smile can ease communication. It warns against cue incongruence, where conflicting verbal and nonverbal messages can confuse the audience. Eye contact is essential for engagement, and when speaking on video, it should be directed at the camera. Practicing speeches is recommended for better comfort and audience interaction while using notes.
    • 8.10: Introduction to Preparation, Practice, and Delivery
      This page highlights that public speaking requires focused practice to build confidence and reduce anxiety. While perfection is unattainable, consistent rehearsal improves delivery and helps manage unexpected situations, enhancing tone and gestures. The text underlines the significance of effective rehearsal for achieving a polished and impactful presentation.
    • 8.11: Mastering the Location
      This page provides guidance on how to adapt a speech to its physical location. It emphasizes the importance of gathering information about the environment, such as room size, audience size, and available equipment. The suggestions include rehearsing in the space if possible, preparing for technical issues with backup aids, and assessing the audience layout upon arrival for optimal delivery. The page also encourages making layout adjustments if needed.
    • 8.12: Working with Equipment
      This page outlines techniques for effectively using audio and visual equipment during presentations. It emphasizes the importance of microphones, especially lavalier mics, and the need for practice to ensure sound quality. It also highlights checking available resources for visual aids, engaging the audience, and coordinating slide presentations. Additionally, maintaining professionalism and composure during technical difficulties is stressed.
    • 8.13: Rehearsing Your Speech
      This page highlights the significance of rehearsal for public speaking, asserting that preparation boosts confidence. It suggests effective strategies like starting early, soliciting feedback, rehearsing aloud, and timing the speech. Speakers should practice all elements, including visual aids and body language, and conduct final rehearsals in the actual presentation venue.
    • 8.14: Putting It Together- Delivering Your Speech
      This page emphasizes the importance of practicing speeches for effective delivery. It suggests rehearsing in environments similar to the actual setting and focusing on key elements such as breath control, articulation, pitch, speaking rate, emphasis, volume, pauses, and nonverbal cues to enhance engagement. Consistent practice is also highlighted as a way to reduce nervousness, contributing to a more successful presentation.
    • 8.15: Assignment- Practice Speech
      This page contains instructions for the "Practice Speech" assignment, directing readers to access the assignment link, follow the provided guidelines, and submit their work through the Learning Management System (LMS). It is authored by Misti Wills and Lumen Learning, and is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
    • 8.16: Discussion- Delivery
      This page provides instructions for participating in a discussion prompt, which involves clicking on "Discussion: Delivery," reading the provided guidelines, and posting responses and comments in the specified forum. The content is created by Lumen Learning and is available under a CC BY: Attribution license.


    This page titled 8: Delivering Your Speech is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lumen Learning.